From Newsgroup: soc.history.medieval

from https://www.newsweek.com/early-medieval-cemetery-discovered-linked-christian-saint-1957900

Early Medieval Cemetery Discovered That May Be Linked to a Christian Saint Published Sep 23, 2024 at 5:27 PM EDT

00:42
'Extremely Rare' Gold Medieval Artifact Found in Bowels of Castle
By Aristos Georgiou
Science and Health Reporter
FOLLOW
0
Archaeologists have discovered a monumental early medieval cemetery that
could be linked to a Christian saint.

The burial ground was uncovered during excavations conducted as part of
an improvement scheme for the A4426 (Five Mile Lane) road just outside
the town of Barry in Wales, one of the constituent countries of the
United Kingdom.

The cemetery is revealed to be internationally significant in a
monograph titled "A Journey Through 6,000 Years of History:
Archaeological Investigations Along the A4226 Five Mile Lane Improvement Scheme," which describes the latest findings from the excavations.

The cemetery has been found to contain the graves of more than 430 individuals, according to Red River Archaeology Group, the
archaeological consultancy firm that carried out the work.

An archaeologist excavating a skull.
A stock image shows an archaeologist conducting an investigation.
Researchers have uncovered an early medieval cemetery in southern Wales. iStock
Radiocarbon dating conducted on more than 60 of the burials yielded
dates ranging from the fifth to 13th centuriesrCowith a peak observed
between the sixth and eighth centuries. Most of the graves are located
within a large mound surrounded by concentric ditches, although others
were found nearby.

The site was previously home to an earlier Bronze Age funerary monument,
and it seems to have been repurposed during the medieval era. The
medieval cemetery is positioned over a Bronze Age enclosure and ring
ditch, while Bronze Age burials were also found in the area.

Sign up for Newsletter
Newsletter
Discoveries
Get lost in a world of wonder
Explore the mysteries and marvels of science and the universe.
Enter your email address
I want to receive special offers and promotions from Newsweek
By clicking on SIGN ME UP, you agree to Newsweek's Terms of Use &
Privacy Policy.
You may unsubscribe at any time.

Repurposing prehistoric monuments was a popular practice during the
early medieval period in Great Britain, which is divided into Wales,
England and Scotland.

These sites, which are often located in prominent positions within the landscape, held practical and symbolic significance.

The excavation site is located close to the early medieval
ecclesiastical estate of Llancarfan, which was a key regional monastic
center at the time. Around the fifth or sixth century, the Abbot of Llancarfan's monastery was a Welsh saint known as Cadoc.

It is possible that the cemetery mound may even be the "huge heap of
earth" raised in the area and used for the burial of the dead as
described in the 11th-century manuscript "The Life of St. Cadoc."

An analysis of the bone remains found in the cemetery indicates that the people buried there were of all ages, ranging from infants to the
elderly. The burials included family units, and some even contain
evidence of people caring for the disabled.

Beside the cemetery, excavations also uncovered the largest
concentration of grain-drying kilns found in England or Wales.

Read more Archaeology

Unknown Stone Age Farming Society Discovered in Africa
Bronze Age Arrowheads Shed New Light on 'Europe's Oldest Known Battlefield' These kilns, alongside the discovery of a significant quantity of
medieval pottery and the site's strategic hilltop location near a spring
and crossroads, suggest that it served as a major regional assembly
area, where people met, traded, held festivals, paid taxes and resolved disputes.

Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering?
Do you have a question about archaeology? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.

Request Reprint & Licensing Submit Correction View Editorial Guidelines
About the writer
Aristos Georgiou
FOLLOW
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
Aristos is a Newsweek science reporter with the London, U.K., bureau. He reports on science and health topics, including; animal, ... Read more
--- Synchronet 3.21a-Linux NewsLink 1.2